A hidden backwater of the River Thames at Radcot Bridge

The willow tree branches have such fascinating shapes.

Happy hiking

Anne

The first day of spring in Windsor - on the Thames Path

Daffodils in the park by Windsor Castle (in the background)

Windsor Castle
The Royal Standard was flying from the round tower so the Queen was there for the weekend

Enjoy a leisurely lunch and watch the river boats

Why not spend a few days ambling along the Thames Path where you can visit historic towns, watch the river boats go by whilst enjoying a leisurely pub lunch.

The Thames Path starts near Cirencester in the Cotswolds and follows the river for 184 miles / 294 km long to the Thames Barrier, east of London.  Whilst you can walk the whole length in one holiday, many people walk a shorter section of the Thames as a short break.

Contact us to find out more about Thames Path Walking Holidays. 

Anne

The Thames Path - a journey through English history

The Thames Path, a National Walking Trail from the source of the river in the south Cotswolds, through prosperous and historic towns west of London, to the capital city and the Thames Barrier in the east. 

Easy walking along the flat Thames Valley. Some walk the full distance of 184 mile (294 km) in one trip, others walk part of the trail.

Lechlade Bridge, over the young River Thames

Willows in spring at the Rose Revived, Newbridge, near Oxford

The Houses of Parliament and London Eye, Westminster, London

A great walking tour for people who like history, passing by Oxford University, Abingdon Abbey, Henley the home of the Royal Regatta, Windsor Castle, the Houses of Parliament, St Pauls, the Tower of London and many other famous sites.

Happy hiking

Anne

Holiday Memories

Still think of our wonderful walk in May, The Thames Path. Have told everyone how beautiful it was and how well we were looked after. Read 'Wind in the Willows' and ' Three men in a boat' again. Our friend from Australia joined us for a day and is still talking about it. 
Walking is the best way to see the countryside. 

Anita Campbell, December 2012

Late Afternoon on the Thames Path near Reading

Enjoy walking over the festive season.

Best

Anne 

Walk the Landscape

Walk the Landscape Newsletter

Enjoy a tranquil few days hiking through some of the most picturesque villages and landscapes in the whole of England. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser

In this Newsletter: New for 2014: Walking and Photography Weekend  Our best selling walking tours: The Classic Cotswolds and the Thames Path National Trail Tours coming up soon: The ancient landscapes and wide open spaces of the North Wessex Downs  Guided Walking Holidays for 2014  and Self-Guided Walking Trails       Walking and Photography Weekend   Friday 25th to Monday 28th April 2014 Do you often take photos of magnificent scenery and nature during walks? Do the images capture the full beauty of the landscape? Or are you sometimes disappointed with the results?   If so, why not join us at the Guildhouse, Stanton where you can take short walks with us and learn how to improve your images with help from Ruth Davey, a professional photographer and facilitator?   The venue offers great opportunities for photography. The Guildhouse, is a stylish 20th century manor house, set on the Cotswold Edge, with long views to the west as far as south Wales, and Stanton is considered one of the most beautiful villages in England .  Click here to find out more. The Classic Cotswolds Walking Tour "Excellent Adventure! Thank you so much" Diane Harsha, Franklin, USA The Classic Cotswolds Walking Tour is our most popular short holiday.  Planned to start and end at railway stations on the Cotswold Line, with direct links to Oxford, Worcester and London, it is an easy to moderate hike taking 3 to 8 days to walk through famous towns and villages like Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, the Slaughters and Northleach, walking 5 to 12 miles (8 to 20 km) each day.  The tour can also begin at Cheltenham railway station (with links to Bristol and the south-west) and can be based in one town.   We can of course customise to meet your preferences and often do, e.g. with shorter daily distances, rest days, excursions to Oxford, Blenheim or Stratford-upon-Avon. Check out our year round photos of the Classic Cotswold route on Flickr.  Although beautiful throughout the year, late April / early May is an especially good time to visit as the spring flowers and bluebells are blooming and the leaves on the trees are unfurling. Prices are typically £80 per person per night based on two people sharing good quality accommodation.  Included in the price is B&B accommodation, maps, written directions of the route, a booklet with information on places of interest, luggage transfer (as required), advice on travelling to and from the Cotswolds within the UK and support in the unlikely event of an emergency.   The Thames Path "Thanks for an excellent Thames Walk - we will be back to do the next stretch in 2014" Judy Wiseman, London,UK   The Thames Path is our most popular walking trail.  We offer hiking tours along the full length of 184 miles (294 km), from the Source, near Kemble in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier, east of London (or reverse).  Some groups do the full distance in one trip, walking as far as 25 miles (40 km) in a day, but many take it easy, walking, for example, the 54 miles (86 km) from the Source to Oxford, or the 74 miles (118 km) from Oxford to Windsor (which is convenient for Heathrow airport) and averaging 10 miles (16 km) per day.  There are even sections where you can take a river cruiser if you prefer not to walk for a day or so. The route offers a fascinating range of contrasts.  Upstream and to the west, the River Isis (as the Thames is also called) is peaceful and in places remote.  From Oxford to Windsor the river passes through some of the most historic and affluent towns in England. Closer to London, the river becomes the great tidal waterway that passes through the heart of the grand capital city.  You can see our photos of the Thames Path route on Flickr. Prices start at £75 per person per night but they do increase on the approach to London. They include B&B accommodation, maps, guide books with written directions of the route and information on places of interest, luggage transfer (as required), help with arranging transport within the UK and support in the unlikely event of an emergency.   Coming up early next year: Holidays on the North Wessex Downs:  A 3 to 4 day walking tour through the ancient landscape in and around Avebury, where you can walk amongst the stones in the largest Prehistoric stone circle in Europe. A linear walk from Avebury to Stonehenge.  See the route and with some of the interesting history in a recent TV programme, Walking Through History, presented by Tony Robinson of Time Team.  Short Guided Walking Holidays in 2014 Friday 16th to Monday 19th May: The Historic Cotswolds Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th June: Chipping Campden and the Cotswold Escarpment Wednesday 10th to Friday 12th September:Classic Cotswold Villages Friday 7th - Sunday 9th November: Prehistory in the Cotswold Landscape If you cannot make these dates and have a group of 6 or more, please contact us to discuss alternative dates. If you are in a smaller group, you may be interested in a customised walking tour. Self-guided Walking Trails Cotswold Way - 102 miles along the Cotswold Edge from Chipping Campden to Bath (or reverse) Cross Cotswold Pathway - 86 miles from Banbury in the north east to Bath in the south west Oxford Canal Walk - 77 miles of easy walking from Oxford to Coventry Oxfordshire Way - 68 miles from Bourton-on-the-Water to Henley-on-Thames Shakespeare's Way - 146 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon to The Globe Theatre, Central London Thames Path - 184 miles from the source near Kemble to the Thames Barrier, East London (or reverse) The Ridgeway - 87 miles from Ivinghoe Beacon to Overton Hill, Avebury (or reverse)

Wittenham Clumps for Real Atmosphere and Magnificent Views

The British painter Paul Nash was inspired by Wittenham Clumps in South Oxfordshire.  He first encountered them in his late teens and was immediately enthralled by their atmospheric shapes and mystical associations. The Clumps became a rich source of inspiration and he returned to paint them many times during his life.

The Clumps painted by Paul Nash in 1935 

Wittenham Clumps today close up

Wittenham Clumps today from afar

The Clumps at Little Wittenham next to the River Thames, just south of Abingdon, are now owned by the Earth Trust Centre.  A great place to stop off on your walk along the Thames Path, enjoy the stunning panoramic view, the magnificent woodland, the wildlife  and learn about the work of the Trust.

Now that the spring has come the walking is good and it's a great time to plan a walking holiday.

Anne
Walk the Landscape

The Thames Path east of Westminster, London

 St Paul's Cathedral from the south bank

St Paul’s Cathedral, was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and constructed between 1675 and 1710.  This architectural masterpiece is at least the fourth cathedral to have stood on the site, and was built following the destruction of its predecessor in the Great Fire of London. 

Tower Bridge

In the 19th century the area east of London Bridge had become a busy port and the East End became so densely populated that a new bridge to the east of London Bridge was needed.  Horace Jones, the City Architect, in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry, won the pubic competition for the design of the new Thames crossing, and the bridge was opened in 1894.

 The Tower of London

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, first built by William the Conqueror in 1066 to keep hostile Londoners at bay.

The Shard 

The Shard, or 'Shard of Glass', is a 95-storey skyscraper in the shape of an irregular pyramid.  Clad entirely in glass it has 72 habitable floors and an open-air observation deck.  It was designed by the Italian architect, Renzo Piano and was inaugurated on 5 July 2012.   It is currently the highest building in London and the second tallest free-standing building in the UK.

 Canary Wharf from the east

Canary Wharf is one of the two major financial districts in London.   The skyscrapers were built at the West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs. East London. From 1802, this area was one of the busiest docks in the world, but by the 1950s the port industry was in decline and the docks were closed by 1980.

Woolwich Arsenal

The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich dates from 1671.  It carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces.  The area has been redeveloped for housing and also hosts the “Firepower: The Royal Artillery Museum”.

Happy exploring the historic sights along the Thames Path

Anne

walkthelandscape.co.uk

Walking the Thames Path in Winter

Happy walking
Best
Anne

Glorious spring sunshine along the Thames Path

The Thames Path is an 184-miles National Trail, that follows the river for the whole length, from the source in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier, east of Greenwich.  The river meanders it's way through rich farmland and historic towns, such as Oxford and Windsor, before passing through the heart of the city of London, then onward to the estuary in the North Sea.

The walking is easy (the terrain is flat and the trail well maintained), the countryside picturesque and the pubs and inns are inviting - a good way to spend a relaxing break.

Here are a few photos of the trail in the fresh spring sunshine.

Passing through Ewen in the Cotswolds

The Rose Revived, Newbridge, near Oxford 

 Hazy sunshine near Windsor, west of London

The City Skyline from Wapping, East London 

Canary Wharf, East London

We organise walking holidays along the Thames Path.

We source good quality accommodation, arrange luggage transfer, provide walking guides and maps, and support in case of emergency.

Contact us for more information.

Best

Anne

Walk the Landscape